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Tunxis Community College will host a Grand Opening celebrating a new 600 Classroom Building Extension on August 22 from 4-7 p.m. For more information on the open house, contact Susan Winn at 860.255.3601, swinn@tunxis.edu.

The $12.6 million construction project, which took 20 months to complete, adds 56,000 square feet of space, providing 20 additional classrooms while easing the wear on some aging buildings on campus.

“The spaces created in this expansion are all about enhancing the learning environment, and supporting new teaching approaches,” said Cathryn L. Addy, Ph.D., president of Tunxis. “All of the classrooms contain state-of-the-art technology to foster teaching and learning in every subject area, and are large enough for group work and projects in addition to the more traditional approaches to learning.”

The new 600 Classroom Building Extension consists of 15 general purpose classrooms, two computer labs, a writing lab, a math lab, and an Early Childhood Education program classroom. In the future, the third floor will contain college offices and conference/meeting space.

In compliance with Connecticut statute for new state buildings, the 600 Classroom Building Extension is a certified LEED (Leadership, Energy, Environmental Design) green building. Among the features are a 4,500 gallon storage tank for rainwater harvesting to service restrooms, motion sensor lighting, building products made of recycled materials, and a building design that makes efficient use of natural light.

The architect for the building is Tecton Architects of Hartford, the contractor is W.J. Mountford, of South Windsor, and the construction administrator is Downes Construction Company, LLC of New Britain.

The project will expand the College campus to 292,000 square feet. Tunxis Community College has for many years had the smallest footprint (assignable square feet of space per student) of any college in New England. The College originally opened its doors in Farmington in October 1970 with 494 students. Today the College serves close to 12,000 credit and non-credit students each year and provides an array of educational services and degree programs including courses in fine arts, business, liberal arts & sciences, dental hygiene and assisting, computer information systems, criminal justice, early childhood education, human services, engineering, and technology. Tunxis is located at the junction of Routes 6 and 177.

The Connecticut Department of Administrative Services Division of Construction Services is responsible for the design and construction of major capital building projects (except highways and bridges) for most state agencies, leasing and acquisitions statewide, and facility management, maintenance and security of state buildings in the greater Hartford area.